1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention generally pertains to stringed instruments and, more specifically, to an adjustable string tension control for a stringed instrument.
2. Background
Stringed instruments, such as guitars, generally have multiple strings which are anchored at one end to a tailpiece or bridge assembly and at the other end to a number of tuning pegs. Rotation or adjustment of the tuning pegs increases the tension of the strings and thus increases the pitch produced by the strings. Typically the strings of an instrument are tuned prior to a performance or session, with the intent usually being for the strings to remain in their tuned settings for the duration of the performance or session.
Nevertheless, musicians occasionally desire to alter the tuning or tensioning of musical instrument strings during a performance or rendition in order to, for example, achieve a different range of notes, different sound qualities and feel, or various musical effects. During live performances or renditions, however, it can be difficult, cumbersome, and imprecise to use conventional tuning knobs to attempt to adjust the tuning or tension of the strings. One technique that has been developed for varying the tension of guitar strings that does not involve the guitar's tuning keys is known as a tremolo bar. A tremolo bar connects to the guitar bridge and is manipulated by the musician to increase or decrease the tension on the guitar strings (typically all of the strings simultaneously). When the musician releases the tremolo bar, the strings return to their original tensions.
Other examples of mechanisms for altering the tension of strings are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,535,670 and 5,542,330.
Conventional techniques for adjusting the tension of musical instrument strings may suffer from various drawbacks. For example, with a tremolo bar, the shift in the tension or tone of a string depends upon the amount of physical displacement of the bar, and is therefore relatively imprecise. Also, the tremolo bar generally affects all of the strings simultaneously. In various other techniques, the amount of potential change in the tension of a string may be limited. Also, the mechanism for adjusting the tension of the string may be inconvenient or difficult to use, particularly during live performances or other renditions.